Package for brewing a beverage



DeC- 14, 1965 G. J. o. WELIN-BERGER 3,223,229

PACKAGE FOR BREWING A BEVERAGE I Filed March 16. 1964 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent Oice 3,223,229 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 3,223,229PACKAGE FOR BREWING A BEVERAGE Guy John @lof Wellin-Berger, Box 228,Nacka, Sweden Filed lidar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 352,210 Claims priority,application Sweden, Mar. 18, 1963, 2,920/63 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-0.5)

This invention relates to packages of the type comprising an envelopeand a bag enclosed therein, said bag containing a material, such as tealeaves, for brewing a beverage. In previously known packages of thiskind the envelope is in the form of a wrapping from which a partconnected to the bag is to be separated for withdrawing the bag from theenvelope. This part is used for holding the bag when it is to beimmersed in the liquid, usually boiled water, used for brewing thebeverage. The connection between said part of the envelope and the baginvolves certain problems, especially because it must not be devisedsuch that the beverage is likely to get a flavour of material comprisedin the connection. Further, the manufacture of the envelope is involvedwith certain difculties because the envelope has to be constructed witha view of minimizing the manufacturing cost. As a matter of fact thecost of the bag and envelope has to be regarded as compared with thevalue of the portion of tea or other material that is enclosed in thepackage and constitutes the usable product thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide a package which satisfies highrequirements and the invention also relates to a method `ofmanufacturing the package. In its broadest aspect the package accordingto the invention is characterized in that the part of the enveloperemaining connected to the bag consists of opposite wall portions of theenvelope which portions during closure of the envelope have beeninterconnected under the action of pressure and heat sealing or otherbonding, said interconnected wall portions being adapted to be separatedfrom the envelope when the envelope is opened. Consequently, separationof the part to be used for withdrawing the bag from the envelope and forhandling the bag during brewing the beverage results in that theenvelope will be automatically opened. Therefrom it follows thatwithdrawal of the bag from the package is an extremely simple procedure.

In a manner known per se a string may be used to conneet the bag withthe remaining part of the envelope. Manufacture of the package isconsiderably facilitated if this string is fastened to the envelopebetween the interconnected wall portions thereof. In such case thestring can be secured simply by being inserted between the wall portionsso as to be secured therebetween when the wall portions are pressedtogether for closing the envelope.

In order to increase the steadiness of the remaining part of theenvelope and to facilitate its separation from the remainder of theenvelope, a reinforcing strip may be inserted between the interconnectedwall portions and secured thereto by heat sealing or other bonding so asto form a label therewith. This label may be marked with a printeddirection for use or advertisement.

The string may be of plastic and welded to the bag if the bag consistsof a fabric or braid of plastic threads. If heat sealing is used toclose the envelope the plastic string will be more firmly secured to thewall portions of the envelope due to the supply of heat.

In its broadest aspect the method of manufacturing the package ischaracterized by the steps of advancing a web of for instance paper,folding the web preferably about a longitudinal line, inserting bagsprovided with carrier strings successively in a row between the portionsformed by folding, and forming an envelope around each bag by pressingsaid portions together and interconnecting them both along two linesextending transversely of the fold on either side of the bag and at theedges parallel to the fold after inserting the free end of the carrierstring between said edges so as to secure said string to the edges whilethey are pressed together. To seal the bag, various kinds of binders maybe used, not only heat sensitive binders in connection with heatsealing, but also contact adhesives which are cold setting provided theyare applied to both surfaces which are to be brought into contact witheach other.

An example of the application of the invention is illustrated in theannexed drawing in which FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic and perspectiveviews of devices in two different steps of operation for carrying outthe method according to the invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view ofan opened envelope and a bag withdrawn therefrom.

In the embodiment illustrated it is assumed that the bag itself whichmay contain tea leaves or the like for brewing a beverage consists of afabric or braid of plastic threads and comprises two compartments 1, 2in which a portion of tea or the like is distributed. The compartmentsare formed by interconnecting opposite walls of the bag along a centraltransverse line 3 (FIG. 3). Midway of this connecting line the bag isconnected to the surrounding envelope 4 such as by means of a string 5one end of which is secured to the bag and the other end of which issecured to the envelope. To connect the string with the envelope the endof the string is inserted between two opposite parts of the walls of theenvelope as will be seen from FIGS. l and 2.

A web of paper or similar material is unwound from a supply roll 7 andpassed beyond a guiding and folding device S by means of which the webor strip is folded along a longitudinal central line so as to be doubledup. Between the folded parts of the web which are to form the front andrear sides of the envelope there is successively inserted a plurality ofbags provided with carrier strings 5. The compartments 1 and 2 arepreferably facing each other such that a substantial part of the stringwill come to lie in the form of a loop between the compartments whilethe free end of the carrier string projects upwards betwen the upperedges of the compartments. Preferably, at the same time a reinforcingstrip 10 is unwound from a supply roll 9 and advanced concurrently withthe web 6 adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the folded parts. Abinding agent may be applied to the web 6 and/or the reinforcing strip10 on one or both sides which are to be facing each other. After aplurality of bags has been inserted between the walls formed by the web6 these walls are pressed together, by means of a pair of backing plates11, 12 or other members7 along two lines 14, 15 extending transverselyof the fold of the web 6 and at the longitudinal edges parallel to thefold so as to form a seam 18. The string 5 inserted between the wallportions forming the seam is clamped between and connected with the wallportions when they are pressed together. The backing plate 12 may beprovided with transverse knives 16 and the backing plate 11 hascorresponding incisions 17. When the backing plates are moved togetherthe knives 16 in cooperation with the incisions 17 will separate fromthe web 6 envelopes for the bags which have been inserted between thebacking plates. At the Same time the envelopes are compressed and sealedalong three edges thereof.

If a package of the kind described is to be used for brewing a beveragethe seam 18 is torn from the remainder of the envelope whichconsequently will be opened. Then the bag can be easily withdrawn fromthe opened envelope by grasping the seam 18 and pulling the bag out fromthe envelope by means of the appendant string S. The seam and the stringare then used for immersing the bag in the liquid for brewing thebeverage.

In case of heat sealing for closing the envelope the backing plates, 11,12 have to be heated to a suitable temperature. If a cold settingcontact adhesive is used the backing plates may be cold. The devicesillustrated in the drawing are intended to be used for intermittentadvance of the web 6 and the reinforcing strip l0 with the length ofeach feed step corresponding to the width of three packages, but withinthe scope of the invention any desired lengths of feed steps areconceivable. Also continuous advancement is possible in connection withrotary sealing members generally devised in the same manner as theplates 11, 12. Even in other respects the invention is not limited tothe details illustrated.

What is claimed is:

A package including an envelope, a bag for material for brewing abeverage enclosed in the envelope, and a string connecting said bag anda part of the envelope adapted to be separated from the lremainderthereof to allow the removal of the bag from the envelope, said partcomprising opposite interconnected wall portions of the envelope, thebag and the envelope being rectangular, the edges of the bag beingparallel to the adjacent edges of the envelope, the string having asubstantial length of slack between its point of attachment to theenvelope and its point of attachment to the bag, said point ofattachment of the string to the bag being disposed on the side of thebag opposite the point of attachment of the string to the envelope, saidbag being folded double along a septum which divides said bag into twocommodity-receiving compartments with the fold remote from and parallelto the edge of the envelope to which the string is attached, the stringbeing disposed between the folded halves of the bag.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,962,900 6/1934Hirsch 20G-63.3 2,298,420 10/ 1942 Salfsberg. 2,313,512 3/1943 Brewer206--63-2 2,525,651 10/1950 Clunan 53-28 2,965,225 12/1960 Zoller et al.206-63.3 3,060,653 10/1962 Flax 53-28 THERON E. CONDON, PrimaryExaminer.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

